11 replies to this topic

[Maxim Rotman]

I was always wondering - why the topic of arctic ecology is so poorly covered in media? For example, the activity of WWF which has a strong support in Norway is rarely discussed in public, though this organization has a superb staff. Maybe we should support the discussion, because people talk much about climate change, but not about ecology.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Maxim Rotman, on 17 June 2013 - 02:00 AM, said:

I was always wondering - why the topic of arctic ecology is so poorly covered in media? For example, the activity of WWF which has a strong support in Norway is rarely discussed in public, though this organization has a superb staff. Maybe we should support the discussion, because people talk much about climate change, but not about ecology.

First, welcome to the forums.

And second, attention deficit disorder. Our society has dissolved into 30 bytes; maybe a hour or two if it's a
shooting, or an explosion, then we move on and the media reflects it.

The only place you would see coverage would be PBS-Nova, Nature, Need to Know; or other programs
there that would focus on it.

Thirdly, I don't think the media cares much about climate change, or the environment in general.
Bill Maher talks about it often on his show, Real Time, and Jon Stewart mentions it on the Daily Show, but other than that?
Crickets.
Comedian newscaster's don't seem to be tied with the corporations, maybe that's why?

[Besoeker]

Maxim Rotman, on 17 June 2013 - 02:00 AM, said:

I was always wondering - why the topic of arctic ecology is so poorly covered in media? For example, the activity of WWF which has a strong support in Norway is rarely discussed in public, though this organization has a superb staff. Maybe we should support the discussion, because people talk much about climate change, but not about ecology.

Hi and welcome!
You make a good point.

In general, the media covers what interests people and sells copy. That may sound critical but they are businesses and they do what businesses do.

Weather extremes get coverage because they can and do affect lots of people in a fairly obvious and direct manner. And we complain a lot about it.

click

On the other hand, the ecology of the Arctic, important though it is, is not likely to hot topic over a cold beer with friends - no pun intended. Yet, melting Arctic tundra, the reduction in permafrost, thermokarst failures, releases CO₂ and has the potential to do so on a huge scale.

However, not a lot of people go there and, given that the average person isn't experiencing anything sudden and dramatic, it isn't likely to be front page news any time soon.
But a fat cat banker getting a £5m golden handshake......

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 17 June 2013 - 04:07 AM, said:

The only place you would see coverage would be PBS-Nova, Nature, Need to Know; or other programs
there that would focus on it.

Our posts crossed. I started mine a while ago but other matters required my attention - work and such like.:(
Generally I agree with what you have posted. You will see that from my post.
Our cable connections gives us hundreds of channels, much of it being puerile drivel to put it nicely. I'm sure you can think of a simpler way to say that.  But we We have a few documentary channels here nd sometimes good old Aunty, the BBC, has some excellent stuff.

Shortpoet-GTD, on 17 June 2013 - 04:07 AM, said:

Thirdly, I don't think the media cares much about climate change, or the environment in general.

Sadly, I think that's just a reflection what the public want.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Related threads you may find interesting, Maxim.
http://www.altenergy...age__hl__arctic

http://www.altenergy...age__hl__arctic

http://www.altenergy...ctic#entry19205

http://www.altenergy...ctic#entry19069

http://www.altenergy...age__hl__arctic

http://www.altenergy...age__hl__arctic

http://www.altenergy...age__hl__arctic

http://www.altenergy...ctic#entry10757

We're not the media, but we work on getting the word out. That's all we can do-make people aware.
Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is just ignorance.

[Maxim Rotman]

Thank you so much!


Though it's a joke, but this chart displays the disbalance I'was talking about. Yet, I hope that in future media will pay more attention to  the region, because though there are potential threats, we still can prevent their consequences!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

You would think that lame stream would be all over it because they seem to enjoy being the bearers of bad news.
Although melting ice caps are probably too slow; without enough drama.

But then again, societies attention span seems to have deteriorated down to zilch, so they're just playing to
their base.

"I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry.

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
It's interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry.

Can we film the operation?
Is the head dead yet?
You know, the boys in the newsroom got a
Running bet
Get the widow on the set!
We need dirty laundry

You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough love
Eat your dirty laundry.

Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry

We can do "The Innuendo"
We can dance and sing
When it's said and done we haven't told you a thing
We all know that Crap is King
Give us dirty laundry!"

Dirty Laundry-Don Henley

[Maxim Rotman]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 26 June 2013 - 03:24 AM, said:

You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone

Just to add to the topic - I think media should channel more serious (and actual) information about scientific researchs, but in layman's manner. BBC showed a good example of how it may be done producing series like "Walking with dinosaurs". It was not only entertaining but also educational - and there is so much Crap on TV today, that I even use parental controls to protect my kid from all this bull.
Needless to say that some complicated issues sometimes are too complex to explain in layman's terms, but with imagination everything is possible.
And about the Arctic: research shows that this summer Arctic ice melts relatively slow! Climate change is not a stable process; in our world everything constantly changes.
By the way, it's wonderful to observe beautiful Arctic nature in documentaries (in case TV producers are reading this: Make more educational programs, sirs!). People talk about saving Arctic and this message should be spread among nations. For example, info about endangered species of North Pole, like polar bears. Right now Greenpeace leads a large campaign to save them. These guys definetly make a great job of spreading info through media!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Media shows what sells; I doubt that's going to change. And from what I've seen on several sites,  the teenagers
have taken over and they don't seem to care about environmental issues. Not all, but too many.

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 12 July 2013 - 04:26 AM, said:

Media shows what sells; I doubt that's going to change. And from what I've seen on several sites,  the teenagers
have taken over and they don't seem to care about environmental issues. Not all, but too many.

Indeed. The sensational and the stupid,, the scandal and the steamy, the sordid and the horrid.
We have a few dailies here that you'd struggle to find serious news in other than buried in a hundred pages of trivia.
They print what sells. No sales, no business.

Unless and until the public seriously take on board environmental matters it isn't going to engage them..
As I said in post #3, the ecology of the Arctic isn't going to light up an animated discussion over a few beers.

Until a few people get bitten in the backside by environmental changes that affect them very directly, I don't think the majority of people will take a great deal of notice.

Just my thoughts.

[Maxim Rotman]

Another issue is objectivity - for example US media frequently publish data, collected by environmental organizations like WWF and Greenpeace about ocean pollution in northern parts of Norway and Russia, and do not post facts about pollutants in Alaska. The same may be said about media in Norway, which tell us little about damage caused to the Arctic nature by Statoil, Rosneft and Mobil, but concentrate our attention on carbon pollution and so on. IMO media should inform people and not tamper with their thoughts.

[eds]

Phil Hueth's solar thermal collector in his yard,
. . . on Adams Drive in Fairbanks Sunday, Oct. 13.
. . . He made the collector himself by taking an old satellite dish and
. . . covering the concave surface with mirrors.

2013-10-14 Source:  Fairbanks

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